Artificial christmas tree branch holder



Jan. 5, 1965 A. J. WHYTE 3,164,344

ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE BRANCH HOLDER Filed Feb. 21, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VENTOR.

ALBEfiR'fii H IE BY n Filed Feb. 21, 1965 Jan. 5, 1965 A. J. WHYTE 3,164,344

ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE BRANCH HOLDER' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ALBERT J. WHYTE United States Patent-O 3,164,344 ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE BRANCH HOLDER Albert J. Whyte, West Springfield, ,Mass., assignor to National Metal Specialties Co., Inc., Enfield, Conn., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Feb. 21, 1963, Ser. No; 260,241

4 Claims. (Cl. 248-39) This invention is concerned with a supporting device, and particularly a device for holding elongated members, such as tree branches, out from beneath the main stem.

There has been cause to be disturbed during the Christmas season with fires to trees which are brought inside for decorative purposes during the holiday season. Attempts have been made to overcome this hazard by the introduction of, artificial non-flammable trees. The artificial trees are made from various materials that do not burn. However, while overcoming the fire problem, they usually leave something to be desired because they are small in size. Others cannot be stored from year to year because they are not easily disassembled.

With these problems in mind, a stamped metal support member which lends itself both for the purpose of supporting branches of a tree on a main stem and also for being applied to members in a reverse position for making braces for a tent or other such uses, has been conceived, as will be explained hereinafter.

It is an object of the within invention to provide a strong support for holding members in a diagonal relationship toa main member.

It is an additional object of the within invention to provide a metal stamped support member for supporting objects of great Weight.

It is yet a further object of the within invention to pro fastened to a main support and easily removed therefrom.

Itis still an'additional object of the within invention to provide a metal stamped bifurcated supportmember wherein the arms are parallel to one another and wherein' bifurcated units, each of which have an upper and-loweri arm extending from a' central portion. All of. the lower arms are radially arranged about a vertical axis at one location and all of the upper arms are radially arranged about this same vertical axis at a higher position. The upper and lower arms of each unit are provided with aligned openings for supporting a rigid member at an angle projecting from the vertical axis, and the central portions of all units are'de'signed to fitthe contour of a verticalpost or member't'owhich the unitsare adapted to be'attached;

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the drawing,in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view in front elevation of the use of the support member on a stem with a tree branch extending therefrom.

FIGURE 2 is'a view of the species with the'continuous ring shown in FIGURE 1, looking at the bottom thereof.

i vide a metal stamped support member which may be easily a cause each-of the sides of the insidecontacting surface 6 FIGURE 3 is a cross-section view taken along line 3-3 4, looking atthe unit upside down.

3,164,344 Patented Jan. 5, 1965 FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view of the upper portion of one of the lower arms of the support shown in FIGURE 4.

The invention herein disclosed consists of two specific embodiments. The first species is disclosed in the views of FIGURES 1, 2, and 3, While the second isshown in the; views of FIGURES 4, 5, and 6. p The basic difference between the two embodiments is that in the species shown in FIGURES 1 through 3, there is a flat support discs or ring 8, which has mounted about its periphery a plurality of individual and separated bifurcated arms. In the species of FIGURES 46 there is no ring. The arms are connected to each other by a ripple fold 20, which is integral with and contiguous to the support surface 16.

The bifurcated arms consist of the components shown in FIGURE 3. At the end of the lower arm is the periphery, or end, of the arm 2. There is an opening 18 in this arm, which opening 18 has a recessed flange or sleeve 5. The arm,2 connects with the support contact surface 16 which is the portion connecting the arms and may be referred to as a band at an obtuse interior angle with the vertical plane. The surface of band lfi is concave so as to conform to a circular type of support member 1. 1 Within the surface of band 16 are the openings 17 which are adaptable for the passage of a Wood screw 6 therethrough so as to be threaded into the support member 1. It is contemplated that the method of contact between bandld and 1 could employ other mechanical equivalents- The bifurcated arms bend atrigh-t angles below the screw6.

at the inside edge ofring 8 (see FIGURE 3).

At the overlap of the disc or ring 8, it may be observed that there is an opening 9 which is rectangular and e'lon-.

gated, and also adapted to receive the flange or, tongue 7 of the ring 8. The flange 7 acts as a locking mechanism.' The actual fastening of the device consists of the locking of the flange or tongue 7 into the elongated opening 9.

In the embodiment shown there is a spot weld 'between' the ring surface and the surface of the horizontal arm segment 10. The arm segment'ltl bends at 14 into-segment 3, which is in a-plane that is parallel to the plane of thes'egment 2. It can be readily seen in the view ;of FIG- URE- 3.that the openings 18: in the arms'segme'ntsfi and '2.

The opening 18 win the upper, portion of the arm 3'has a sleeve ,4 similar to the; sleeve 5. The purpose of the sleeves 5 and 4 is to prevent are aligned with one another.

the cutting of the branches which 'are inserted ;into the alignedopenings, and also'to' give greater support.

A plurality of the previously described bifurcated arms are placed radiallyjabout theidisc fi so that asmany of thcse-individual arms as are possible a'repermitted to be attached thereto; In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 2, there are five bifurcated arms. There are but five beis almost touching the next arm on the inside of the disc 8. There is no further room to insert more bifurcated arms inside the centeropening of the disc 8, unless the size of the radius of the disc were changed. Y a Y In the species shown in FIGURES 13, the'use of the:

assembly of the arms as described can be seen. The various surfaces 16 are. attached tothe support 1, which simul-- ates a tree trunk, and the branch 11, along with the twigs and pine needles 12 and 13-respective-ly, as shown in FIG- URE. 1, is supported by the'openings 18 and their respec-r tive sleeves 4 and 5 in the parallel arms 2 -and 3. The branch 11 fits within the aligned openings 11 and drops down against the support 1. It is quite simple to remove thefbranch assembly 11, 12, and 13, to disassemble the r r r a In the species shown in FEGURES 4-6, the structure of the bifurcated arm assembly is similar, with the exception that instead of being mounted by a ring 8, the arms are connected to each other at the ripple fold 2! which is adjacent each side of the surface 16. The only place that the arms are not connected isat 21. There are openings 17 in the support contact band 16 which have the same configuration as the-contact surfaces shown'in FIGURE the species of FIGURES 1-3, save for the ring 8. There I is an opening 7 in the bifurcated arms of the species of FIGURES 46, but the opening 9 is only there because of the punch press die. Actually, the opening'9 is not necessary to the construction of this species. It is only required in the species of FIGURES 13, wherein the disc 8 must be locked into engagement by its flange 7.

It is also-contemplated that the bifurcated arms could be used without beingconnected to one another. That is to say that if the fold were broken off from one another,.it would still be possible to screw the surfaces 16 into the beam and stagger the height around the beam 1. Ibis might make for an evenzmore imposing looking arti ficial tree, but would require more time in the assembly offlthel simulated'tree.

It is contemplated that the within invention will lend itself to use for situations wherein it is necessary to crease artificial trees, such as in the making of television shows, movies, or for the interior decoration of homes and i the like, as well as for Christmastrees.

, It is'conternplated that the dimensions of the within invention may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope'of the invention. It is also contemplated from a vertical support, said units being integrally formed of substantially rigid sheet material, and each compris I ing: a centrally disposed portion adapted to be supported adjacent the vertical member, a lower 'arm portion projecting outwardly and at an angle to the base of said central portion and provided with-an opening therein, and an upper arm portion projectingoutwardly from a posirtion near the upper ,end of said central portion, said upper arm having a terminal portion disposed at the same angle to the-central portion as the lower arm but being outwardly spaced a greater, distance away from said central portion than the lower arm, and said terminal portion being provided with an opening in alignment with the opening in the lower; arm, said units being disposed in a radial arrangement with respect to said vertical support andproviding a central vertically disposed opening for accommodating said vertical support, and means for interconn'ecting said units together. a

2. Anassembly having a plurality of units, each for detachably holding a rigid'mernber at an angle projecting froma vertical support, said units being integrally formed of substantially rigid sheet material, and each comprising: a centrally disposed portion adapted to be supported adjacent the vertical member, a lower arm portion projecting outwardly and at an angle to the base of said central portion and provided with an opening therein, and an upper mm portion projecting outwardly from a position near the upper end of said central portion, said upper arm having a terminal portion disposed at the same angle to the central portion as the lower arm but being outwardly spaced a greater distance away from said central portion than the lower arm, and said terminal portion being provided with an opening in alignment with the opening in the lower arm, said units being disposed in a radial arrangement with respect to said vertical support and providing a central vertically disposed opening for accommodating said vertical support, and means for interconnecting said units together, said means including a vertical ripple fold connecting the centrally disposed portion of each unit to a centrally disposed portion of another unit.

3. An assembly having a plurality of units, each for detachably holding a rigid member at an angle projecting from a vertical support, said units being integrally formed of substantially rigid sheet material, and each comprising: a centrally disposed portion adapted to be supported adjacent the vertical member, a lower arm portion projecting outwardly and at an angle to the base of said central portion and provided with an opening therein, and an upper arm portion projecting outwardly from a position near the upper end of said central portion, said upper arm having a terminal portion disposed at the same angle to the central portion as the lower arm but being outwardly spaced at greater distance away from said central portion than the lower arm, and said terminal portion being provided with an opening in alignment with the opening in the lower arm, said units being dis posed in a radial arrangement with respect to said vertical support and providing a central vertically disposed opening for accommodating said vertical support, and means for interconnecting said units together, said means including a member of sheet material for substantially rigidly interconnecting said units together.

4. A unit for detachably holding a rigid member at an angle projecting from a vertical support member, said unit being integrally formed of substantially rigid sheet material and comprising: a centrally disposed portion adapted to be supported adjacent the vertical member, a lower arm portion projecting outwardly and at an angle to the base of said central portion and provided with an opening therein, and an upper arm portion projecting outwardly from a position near the upper end of said central portion, said upper arm having a terminal portion disposed at the same angle to the central portion as the lower arm but being outwardly spaced a greater distance away from said central portion than the lower arm, and said terminal portion being provided with an opening in alignment with the opening in the lower arm.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 175,903 4/76 Battey 248-42 726,015 4/03 Becroft 24842 1,268,488 6/18 Pullen 248-230 X 1,737,151 11/29 Derbyshire 24842 X 1,788,157 1/31 Hogan 24842 X 1,895,609- 1/33 Davis 24839 X 2,899,764 8/59 Oberlin 248-221 X 3,085,774 4/63 Di Ienno 24842 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner, 

1. AN ASSEMBLY HAVING A PLURALITY OF UNITS, EACH FOR DETACHABLY HOLDING A RIGID MEMBER AT AN ANGLE PROJECTING FROM A VERTICAL SUPPORT, SAID UNITS BEING INTEGRALLY FORMED OF SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID SHEET MATERIAL, AND EACH COMPRISING: A CENTRALLY DISPOSED PORTION ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED ADJACENT THE VERTICAL MEMBER, A LOWER ARM PORTION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY AND AT AN ANGLE TO THE BASE OF SAID CENTRAL PORTION AND PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING THEREIN, AND AN UPPER ARM PORTION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM A POSITION NEAR THE UPPER END OF SAID CENTRAL PORTION, SAID UPPER ARM HAVING A TERMINAL PORTION DISPOSED AT THE SAME ANGLE TO THE CENTRAL PORTION AS THE LOWER ARM BUT BEING OUTWARDLY SPACED A GREATER DISTANCE AWAY FROM SAID CENTRAL PORTION THAN THE LOWER ARM, AND SAID TERMINAL PORTION BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE OPENING IN THE LOWER ARM, SAID UNITS BEING DISPOSED IN A RADIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID VERTICAL SUPPORT AND PROVIDING A CENTRAL VERTICALLY DISPOSED OPENING FOR ACCOMMODATING SAID VERTICAL SUPPORT, AND MEANS FOR INTERCONNECTING SAID UNITS TOGETHER. 